Internal-combustion-engine-starting mechanism



Feb. 16 1926.

R. HARRIS INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM Filed April 16, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheep 1 3n m n for REX HARE/5.

Feb. 16 1926. 1,572,998

R. HARRIS INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM Filed pril 16, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet -2 Lin uvnlc-z Feb. 16 1926. 1,572,998

R. HARRIS INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE STARTING NEcHANIsN Filed April 16',

923 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 no N 3111x111 =o'z REX HARE/5.

21 91, Q5 MZ/l UWMA/ Patented Feb. 16, 1926,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REX HARRIS, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

INTERNALCOMBUSTION-ENGINE-STARTING MECHANISML,

T 0 all whom it may concern: t

Be it known that I, REX HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Diego,

in the county of San California, have inve and useful is a specification.

My invention relates to an. internal combust onengine starting mechanism, and the ob ects of my invention are:

VltQ a mechanism of particularly light of weight and compact and therefore adapt-ed starting; second, to provide a mechanism of this class which will function properly irrespective of the position pf the engine,

and a mechanism inused, therefore being for airplane engine starting; third, to provide a mechanism of adapted to rotate the revolutions, which is position inoperative position fr pilots seatwhen desired; fourth, to provide a mechanism of this class in which the starting force is directed against the piston of the combustion chamber thereof; sixth, to provide a mechanism of this class in which a novelly constructed providing the energy glue; seventh, to provide a mechanism of this class in which the explosion chamber of the mechan sm is adapted to communi- Lcate with and automatically sealed from the combustion chamber of the engine cylinder 4 after the explosion-of a cartridge inthe starting mechanism; eighth, to provide a mechanism of this class containing a plurality of such cartridges for successively directing an explosive force against the engine zpiston every other revolution of the g e; nin h, to p o.

Internal-Combustion-Engine- Starting Mechanism, of which the following from the drivers or pilots seat and which may be shifted in disengaged or Application filed April 16, 1923. Serial Nb. 632,356.

this class which is timed with the engine and operated by the cam-shaft thereof; tenth, to provide a means in connection with a mechanism of this class for indicating the starting position of the engine for the starting mechanism; eleventh, to provide a mechanism of this class which will heat the engine cylinder and therefore facilitate the starting of the engine; twelfth, to provide a mechanism of this class which will provide effective means for ignitingthe' gases in the engine cylinder; thirteenth, to provide a novelly constructed mechanism of this class, and fourteenth, to' provide a mechanism of this class which is very simple and economical of construction, durable, and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construc- 7U tionfcombination and arrangei'nent of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail am particularly set forth in the appended claiins, refei'ence being had to the Diego and State of nted-a certain new First, to prothis class which is for airplane engine which no battery is especially adaptable this class which is engine a number of shifted in operatn'c om the operators or ters of reference thereon which form a part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, left side elevational View of my internal combustion engine starting mechanism support-ed by the front cylinder of an engine and positioned on the left-hand side thereof, showing the engine cylinder fragmentarily and showing certain other parts and portions broken away and in section to facilitate the illustration, also showing by dotted lines certain shifted positions of various members thereof; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, right side elevational view thereof, showing by dotted lines certain shifted positions of certain 90 members; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional elevational view thereof taken through 3-? of Fig. 5: Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the quadrant means for shifting the mechanism in certain positions; Fig. 5 is a plan 5 view thereof showing certain parts and portions thereof and of the engine broken ,Lde a mechanism of w y nd in e t on to facilitate the sdirected cartridge is used for 5 for rotating the enaccompanying drawings and to the charac 1 'ine.

h I I enginecylinder by the hollow, externally tration; Fig. 6 is a -f1'agmentary,rear elevational view thereof; Fig. 7 is a sectional view thereof taken through 77 of F1g. Fig. 8 is a sectional, elevational view thereof taken through 88 of Fig.- 5 showing certain parts and portions in eleyation to facil tate the illustration and showing certain shifted position of certain movable parts, and Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional, elevational View thereof taken through 99 of firing pin 2?,t1igger 28, spring 29, screws.

30, pawl 31, trigger member 32,- arm 33. spring 34, tripping member. 35, spring 36, breech lock shifting member 37, trigger spring 38, plunger 39, extractor 40, ejector a1, retaining plate 42, magazine 43, magazine'la-tch member 44, spring 45, indicating finger supporting arm 46', arm support 47, quadrant member 48, operating rod 49, lever of), catch member 51, catch spring 52, arms 53 and 5i, pawl 55, and the pawl spring 56, constitute the principal parts and portions of my engine starting mechanism.

lVh-eu using my starting mechanism in connection with airplane engines the mechanism is preferably connected with the cylinder near the propeller to reduce the strain on the crank-shaft positioned on the left-hand side of the en- The mainframe 1 is supported by the threaded, extended portion 1, which is adapted to be screwed through the wall of the engine cylinder, the hollow portion thereof communicating with the combustion chamber of 'the engine. Said frame memher 1 is lpeked in position by the screw 2 at the lower end thereof. Said frame member 1 is provided near its opposite'end with a bore 1 which is adapted'to receive the cartridge 8. and which bore is ofl'set from and communicates by meansof adiagonal port 1?. with the] hollow portion at the opposite end of the member 1. Centrally in the hollow portion 1 of said member is reciprocally mounted a tappet valve 4: which is seated against the seat portion 1 at the end of the extended'portion 1* and'is re-v tained against said seat by means of the spring 5 interposed between. the ring com-- pressionmember 6 and the spring retaining washer 7 positioned attlie end o-f the stem of said valve. Positioned aroundthe stem of said valve between a shoulder of the frame 1, outside of the explosion chamber,

The main frame 1, screw 2, cartridge 3,

and is also preferably [a slotted portion positioned around the stem of said valve, is

n I i the split, conical, sealing ring 8, which is compressed around the stem of the valve by the member 6 and the spring 5. The breech member 9, which retains the cartridge 3 inposition in the bore of the main frame 1, is reciprocally mounted on said frame and guided by the grooves 1 at the sides near the outer end and top face of said frame and is further guided by the spring actuating member 10 secured to the bifurcated portions at the other end of the breech member 9 and reciprocally mounted in the slot 1 at the lower portion of the main frame I. Said breech member 9 is retained in a forward position, or towards the engine cylinder, by the spring 11 positioned in a recess'l in the lower portion of the main frame 1 in which is reciprocally mounted the cylindrical portion 10 of the spring actuating member 10 in which is positioned the other end of the spring 11. The breech member 9 is locked in said forward position by the breechvlocking member 12 which is reciprocally mounted 'transversely. in the frame member 1 and provided with upwardly extending lugs 12 adapted to engage simila-r slot portions 9 on the under side of the longitudinally slotted portions 9 in the bifurcated or side portions of the breech member 9, as shown best in Figs. 2 and 9. The lugs 12 of the breechlocking member 12 are held in engagement with the recess portion of the breech member 9 by means of the compression spring 13, positioned between a downwardly extending lug of the breech locking member and the wall of the main frame 1, as shown-in Fig. 9. Said breech locking, memberis retained in said main frame by the plate 14, positioned against the downwardly extending lug of said breech locking member.

Itwill be noted that thecartridge explosion chambers of my mechanism communicate with the combustion chamber of the engine cylinder 15 between the cylinder head'thereofand the piston 16, reciprocally mounted therein, as shown best in Fig. 8 of the drawings. I The breech is unlocked and forced backwardly by the operating members 17 and 18, which are adjustably secured together by means of a bolt 19, fixedly positionedin' one of said members and extending through of the other of said operatlng members, the adjustment being provided for different" engine's. The operating member,

her 20, secured tot-the end of the cam shaft 21 revolubly. mounted above the engineevlinders, cam member engaging a roller 22; revolubly mounted at the upper end of the xtended arm 18 of the member 18 'lhg i8, togetherwith the member 17,- is reciprocated bymeans of the cam memerable istance into the same from its outer end, in which is positioned the compression spring 25, which engages at its rear end the plate 23 at the end of said guide member, and at its forward end a downwardly extending lug 17 at the rear end of the downwardly extending, T-shaped portion of. said member. It will be noted that the spring 25 is adapted to keep the operating members 17 and 18 in engagement with the cam member.20, which cam is so shaped to operate and time the starting mechanism with the engine. The operating member 17 is providedfat the portion adjacent the breech member 9 with slotted, upwardly ex-- tending lugs 1'7 and 17 through which slotted portions extend the screws 26, which are secured at the from; and'rear portions of the breech member. 9, as shown best in Figs.

1 and 5 of the'drawings.

In the rear, head portion of the breech member 9 is reciprocally mounted the firing pin 27, which extends through said head member. itsforward end being adapted to engage the detonating cap of the cartridge and it rear end being adapted to be engaged by the trigger 28, substantially as shown in the drawings, a spring 29 being positioned around said firing pin to retain the same in an outward position. The trigger 28 is pivotally mounted at the rear end of the lnain frame 1 by means of the screws 30 and the trigger-member 32, and is adapted to be cocked by the breech member 9 being forced baelzwardlyby the operatinglmember 17. Said trigger is retained in its cocked position by means of the pawl 31 engaging a lug 32 on the trigger member 32,'positioned on the outside of the frame 1 and secured to the trigger 28 by the screw 30. Said pawl 31 is pivotally mounted in the main frame 1 and extends through said frame, at the op posite end of which is provided and arm 33. Said pawl is retained in engagement with the trigger member 32 by means of the spring'34 and is released from engagement with the lug of said trigger member by the tripping member 35, pivotally supported on the lug 17 on the under side of the operating member 17. The portion of the tripping member 35 engaging the pawl 51 is held in engagement therewith O1 in a downward positionby the spring 36 secured to the member 17. I The breech lock retaining plate 14 is provided with an outwardly extending lug 14s",

onthe upper side of which is pivotally mounted the breech lock shifting member 37, which is substantially T-shaped, the one leg of which engages one end 'of the breech locking member. 12 for disengaging the lugs 12 thereon from the slotted portions of the breech member as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, and theopposite leg of which serves as a stop against the main frame; The outwardly extending leg of said member 37 is adapted to be engaged by the cam portion 17 on the under side of the operating member 17 for rotating said member 37. whereby said breech locking member is shifted in disengagement with the breech member 9, and also to-facilitate the return of the member 37 to its original position.

hen the, trigger 28 and trigger member 82 are released by the pawl 31, said trigger 28 is forced in engagement with the firing pin by reason of the spring 38 positioned in a recess at the rear porton of the main frame and connected with the trigger 28 by means of a plunger member 39, the lower end of which is positioned in said recess against the spring, and the upper end ofwhich is pivotally. connected with the trigger 28.

After the cartridge is exploded the breech member 9 is shifted backwardly and the resilient extractor 40, positioned in the breech member 9 and engagingthe annular channel portion of' the cartridge, withdraws the empty,discharged cartridge from the bore l of the main frame 1. As the empty cartridge shell is drawn backwardly by the extractor a certain distance, it is ejected by the ejector 41 engaging the edge of the shell and forcing the same through the opening 9 at the upper portion of the breech 111C111- ber 9. Said extractor and firing pin are retained in the head of said breech member bythe-retaining plate 42, sub tantially as shown in the drawings. I

The mainframe 1 is provided at its rear portion with a. downwardly"extending, hollow portion 1 in which is adapted to be positioned the magazine 43, containing the cartridges, and is locked in position in said hollow-portion by means of the latch member 44 extending through said main frame, the one side of which provided-with an extended portion-adapted to be manually depressed, and the oppositeend of which is provided with an inwardly extending lug 44 for engaging a corresponding slotted portion of the magazine 43." Said inwardly extending lug 44 is retained in engagement with the slotted portion of the'magazine by III iii)

As the breech member 9 is forced forwardly the same engages the rear endof the" can tridge, thus positioned in the magazine, and

forces the same forwardly into the bore .1" of the frame 1, it being noted that the forward end of the cartridge while 111 the magazine is slightly higher than its rear end and is facilitated in entering the bore 1 by reason of the beveled portion 1 of the main frame 1 adj a-cent the bore, substantially w shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings.

It will be noted that in order to start the engine the same is turned so that the piston in the cylinder to which my mechanism is connected has passed the top dead center' of its explosion stroke, or until the cylinder is in a retarded firing position. To indicate this position of the engine I have provided an extended arm 46 secured centrally to the cam-shaft 21 of the engine, which arm preferably extends through a recess in the radiator or forward of the engine, and is provided on the end ext-ending there-through with an indicating finger 46" which, when aligned with a lug portion 1-7 on the arm supporting member 47, which supports the extended end of the arm 4.6 in front of the radiator, indicates such position for start ing, as shown by dotted lines of the indieating finger in Fig. 1. of the drawings.

The positions shown by solid lines of saidindicating finger and the positions shown by solid lines of the other members of the mechanism indicate a position of themechanism after the mechanism is loaded, the trigger cooked and in a position ready to fire the cartridge.

To shift my starting mechanism in operating and out of operating position I have provided a quadrant and lever means to be positioned near the drivers or pilots seat. The quadrant member 48 consists of an annular member with a plurality of notches 48?, indicating respectively the safe position of the mechanism or that the breech is open, the position indicating a locked breech and afiring position of the lever and mechanism. Revolubly mounted in the central portion of the quadrant 48 is a rod 49 on which is mounted the lever 50, which lever provided at its handle portion with a catch member 51. pivotally supported thereon with its one end engaging the periphery of the quadrant member and the notched portions. provided therein, a spring 52 being provided between the other end of said catch member and the handleportion of said lever toretainsaid catch member in said notched portions Said rod. 49 extends, through and is revol'nbly supported at its other end in the main frame. 1, at the end of which is secured an arm; 53 which is adapted to engage a lug 1'2 on the under side of the operating member 17 as shown best in Figs. 1 and 6 of the drawings. On the other side of the main frame 1 and on the rod 49 is secured an arm 54, at the extended end of which is pivotally mounted a pawl 55, which is adapted to engage the end of the arm 33, secured to the opposite end of the pawl 31 extending through the main frame. A torsion spring 56 is interposed between the pawl and the outer end of the arm 54 to retain the pawl 55 in an outward position and permit the-same to be depressed when the arm 54: is rotated in the backward direction.

To startthe engine it is necessary first to line up the indicating finger 46 with the lug, 47* shown in Fig. 5, ,it being assumed that the mechanism is in a disengaged and inoperative position, asindicated by the lever 50 relative to the quadrant member 48 in Fig. at of the drawings, which position is also indicated by the position of the breech. member, operating members and operating member shifting arm byv dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The lever 50 is then shifted. to the notch indicated by Breech locked on the quadrant 41.8, which breech, when shifted from its open to its closed position, takes the uppermost cartridge 3 in the magazine 43 and positions the same in the bore of the main frame 1, which will permit the breech member 9 to be carried to its foremost position by the spring 11 and which will permit the operating members 17 and. 18 to be carried forwardly until the roller 22 engages the cam member 20 on. the cam-shaft 21, the point of engagement of the roller with the cam member at this instant being at 20; thus the operating members will not be in their extreme forward positions. However, the breech lock shifting member 37 will be released by the cam portion 17 of the operating member 17 and permit the breech looking member to engage the breech member, thus locking the same, and also the pawl tripping member 35 will not be moved forward sufficiently to positively engage the pawl 31, said, pawl having been retained in engagement with the trigger member 32 by thespring 34, retaining the trigger in a cocked position. lVhen the lever 50 is shifted from the position indicated by Breech locked to the firing position-indicated by Fire, the pawl 55 a.t the end of the arm 54: will engage the downwardly extending arm 33, secured to the pawl 31, disengaging said pawl 31 from the trigger member and'permitting the trigger to fiy forwardly by reason of the spring 38 behind the same,

forcing forwardly the firing pin and discharging the cartridge. The cartridge 3 is composed of a shell with highly explosive powder and preferably a paraffin wad 3*,- which will readily burn up by the explosion. The gases from the explosion of the cartridge passing through the bore, the diagonal, hollow portion, and the hollow portion at the extended end of the main frame 1, will open the tappet valve, reciprocally mounted therein, permitting the gases to enter the combustion chamber and forcing the piston of the engine downwardly, rotating the engine. \Vhen the engine is rotated the cam member 20 will force the operating members 17 and 18 outwardly, shifting the breech locking member from engagement with the slotted portions of the breech member, by means of the breech lock shifting member 37, actuated by the cam portion 17 permitting the breech member to be carried outwardly with the operating member 17 when the slotted portions in the upwardly extending lugs thereof engage the screws 26 on the breech member. The breech, when moving backwardly carrying the extractor, will extract the cartridge from the bore of the main frame 1, and when the same is carried a sufficient distance outwardly, the ejector 41 will engage the edge of the shell of the cartridge, forcing the same through the opening 9 in the breech member. Also the breech member moving backwardly will rotate the trigger 28 about its pivotal mounting and cock the same, permitting the pawl 31 to engage the notch in the triggermemher There being no means to prevent forward movement of the breech member and operating members, the springs 11 and 25 will carry said members forwardly towards the engine cylinder, depositing another cartridge in the bore of the main frame, and the operating members 17 and- 18 being permitted to move a greater distance inwardly than in the first cycle, will permit the tripping member 35 'to engage the end of the pawl 31. \Vhen the members 17 and 18 are forced outwardly by the cam, the initial raise in the cam will permit the operating members to be moved outwardly a slight distance without the breech member, byreason of the slots in the lugs 17 and 17 tripping the pawl 31, releasing the trigger, discharging the cartridge,- and again forcing downwardly the piston of the engine cylinder. The operating member 17, when the cartridge is discharged, will not have moved the full distance permitted by the slots in the lugs 17 and 17 and permits the cam portion 17 to actuate the breech lock shifting member 37, unlocking the breech. By the time the breech is 1' nlocked, the inner ends of the slotted portions in the lugs 17 and 17 will have engaged the screws 26, carrying with the same the breech member and'continuing the cycle of operation. To disengage the mechanism from the cam 20, the lever is shifted from the firing position to the safe position indicated by Breech open, as shown on the quadrant'member 48.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let- 'ters Patent, is

1. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination with an nternal combustion engine cylinder and a piston.

reciprocally mounted therein, of a cartridge exploding mechanism communicating with said engine cylinderand operative in connection with the mechanism of said engine, a piston position indicating means in connection with said mechanism, and a lever -1neans in connection with said cartridge exploding mechanism for shifting said mechanism in disengaged position from said engine mechanism.

2. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination with an internal combustion engine cylinder, a piston and the-camshaft for actuating the valves of said cylinder, of a frame supported contiguous to said engine cylinder and provided with a bore adapted to receive a cartridge and communicating with said engine cylinder, and a means in connection with the engine cam-shaft for firing said cartridge.

3. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination with an internal combustion engine cylinder, a piston and the camshaft for actuating the valves of said cylinder, of a frame supported contiguous to said engine cylinder and provided with a movablebreech adapted to receive a cartridge .and communicating with said engine cylinder, and a lever means in connection with said breech for variously positioning the same relatively to saidengine cylinder and-for, exploding said cartridge.

4. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination with an internal combustion engine cylinder, a piston and the camshaft for actuating the valves of said cylinder, of a frame supported contiguous to said engine cylinder and provided with a bore adapted to receive a cartridge and communicating with said engine cylinder, a means in connection with the engine camshaft for firingsaid cartridge, and a lever flmounted therein and means for shi ftin said cartridge explodisengagement with sald,

said engine cylinder and provided with a bore adapted to receive a cartridge and communicating with said engine cylinder, a breech reciprocally mounted on said main frame, and a means in connection with said breech and said main frame for firing said cartridge. i

6. --In a mechanism of theclass described, the combination with an internal combustion engine cylinder, a piston and the camshaft for actuating the valves of said cylin der, of a frame supported contiguous to said engine cylinder and provided with a bore adapted, to receive a cartridge and communicating with said engine cylinder, a breech reciprocally mounted on said main frame, a means in connection with said breech and said main frame for firing said cartridge, and a cartridge extracting and ejecting means.

7. In a mechanism of the class described,

the combination with an internal combustion engine cylinder, a piston and the camshaft for actuating the valves of said cylinder, of a frame supported contiguous to said engine cylinder and provided with a bore adapted to receive a cartridge and communicating with said engine cylinder,

a breech reciprocally mounted on said main frame, a means in connection with said breech and said main frame for firing said cartridge, a cartridge extracting and ejecting means, a magazine in connection with said main frame, and means in connection with said magazine, said .main frame and said breech, for removing individual cartridges from said magazine and positioning the same in the bore of said main frame.

8. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination with aninternal combustion engine cylinder, a piston reciprocally mounted therein and a cam means in connection with said engine, of a frame provided with a cartridge-receiving bore communicating with said engine cylinder, :1 breech reciprocally mounted on said main frame, a breech locking means, a cartridge firing means in connection with said br'eecli member.

9. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination with an internal combustion engine cylinder, a piston reciprocally a cam means in connection with said engine, of a frame provided with a cartridge-receiving bore communicating with said engine cylinder, a

'breec'h reciprocally mounted on said main =mounted thereinanda cam means in connection-' wit h said engine, of a frame provided with a cartridge-receiving bore communicat ing with saidengine cy llnder, a breech reciprocally mounted on sald ma n frame, a

breech locking means, a cartridge firing means in connection with said breech memher, an operating member in connection with the cam means ofsaid engine, a means for reciprocally supporting said operating mem her, and trip means in cqnnection with said operating member for actuating said firing means.

11. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination with an internal combustion engine cylinder, a piston reciprocally mounted therein -and a cam means in connection with said engine, vided with a cartridge-receiving bore communicating: with said engine cylinder, '1

breech reciprocally mounted on said inain means, a cartridge frame, a breech locking firing means in connection with said breech member, an operating member in connection with the cam means of said engine, a means for reciprocally supporting said operating member, trip means in connection with said operating member for actuating said ring means, and cam means in connection with said operating "member for actuating said breech locking means.- i r 12, In a mechanism of the classdesc'ribed, the combination with an internal combustion engine cylinder, a piston reciprocally mounted therein and a cam means in connection with said engine, of aframe' provided with a cartridge-receiving bore communicating with said engine cylinder, .a breech reciprocally mounted on said main frame, a breech locking means, a cartridge firing means in connection with said breech member, an operating member 1n connection wi ththe cam means of said engine, a means vbreech member.

13. In a mechanism of the class described,

the combination with an internal combustion engine cylinder, a piston reciprocally of a frame pro mounted therein and a cam means in connection with said engine, of a frame provided with a cartridge-receiving bore communicating with said engine cylinder, a 5 breech reciprocally mounted on said main .lfrznne, a breech locking means, a cartridge firing means in connection with said breech member, and lever and quadrant means in connection with said breech member for shifting the same in inoperative position.

In testimony wheieof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Diego, California, this 7th day of April, 1923.

' REX HARRIS. 

